NATO Secretary General discusses partnership and Afghanistan with Uzbek President

On 24 January, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, visited NATO Headquarters and met with the NATO Secretary General. They discussed cooperation between NATO and Uzbekistan in supporting Afghanistan, as well as how to deepen bilateral cooperation in the framework of Uzbekistan’s Partnership programme with NATO.

“The transit through Uzbekistan in support of our ISAF operation is valuable,” the Secretary General stated. “We are grateful for the support of Uzbekistan and of all our other Central Asian Partners to our mission in Afghanistan.”

Along with all the other NATO Partners, Uzbekistan has signed up to the principles that underpin Partnership for Peace with NATO. Within this framework, the Secretary General also discussed with President Karimov how NATO can assist Uzbekistan with important democratic reforms.

Rasmussen highlighted that “Uzbekistan has been a NATO Partner for 17 years” and that he “spoke with President Karimov about our common commitment to democratic principles and NATO's ongoing efforts to assist partners towards democratic reforms through various Partnership tools.”

Uzbekistan has been a member of Partnership for Peace since 1994. In 2009, Uzbekistan concluded a transit agreement with NATO for the surface of non-lethal cargoes to Afghanistan.